Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. have relatively similar opinions of most foreign countries, but they differ the most on their respective views of Cuba and Israel. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

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WASHINGTON (CBS DC) — Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. have relatively similar opinions of most foreign countries, but they differ the most on their respective views of Cuba and Israel.

According to Gallup’s annual World Affairs survey, Democrats have a more positive view of a wider range of countries than their Republican counterparts – especially in their favorable support of Cuba, China, Egypt and Mexico. Meanwhile, Republicans showed more favorable attitudes toward only a few countries, the most notable being Israel.

Forty five percent of Democrats expressed a favorable attitude toward Cuba, while only 24 percent of Republicans agreed – the largest, 21 percent partisan gap. Similarly, 52 percent of Democrats expressed a favorable attitude for China while only 32 percent of Republicans expressed this attitude.

As far as countries favored more by Republicans, Israel showed the most notable gap between the parties with 78 percent of the GOP having a favorable attitude toward Israel, while only 60 percent of Democrats agreed.

Republicans also expressed slightly higher favorable ratings for Germany, Great Britain and Japan.

These results are from Gallup’s annual World Affairs survey, conducted Feb. 7-10 this year. As Gallup previously reported, overall U.S. favorability toward the 22 rated countries ranges from a high of 91 percent for Canada to a low of 9 percent for Iran.

Republicans and Democrats in 2005 — unlike today — viewed China, Egypt, and Mexico in a similar fashion. Since 2005, Americans’ overall views of Egypt and Mexico have become less positive, but Republicans’ views have dropped more significantly than Democrats’, thus widening the partisan gap. Democrats’ views of China have not changed since 2005, while Republicans’ views have become more negative.

Although a clear majority of Republicans and Democrats are positive toward France, the 18-percentage-point difference between the 82 percent favorable rating from Democrats and the 64 percent favorable rating among Republicans is the fifth largest across any of the 22 countries measured this year.